Interlock for elevator doors and the like



Feb. 16 1926. 1,573,156

Y v W. B. GERVAlS ET AL INTERLOCK FOR ELEVATOR DOORS AND THE LIKE Filed June '7, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb.` 1s 192s.

W. B, GERVAIS ET AL INTERLOCK FOR ELEVA'TOR DOORS AND THE LIKE Filed June f?, 1924 2 sheets-sheet 2 w uw Patented Feb. 16, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE.

VTAINWRIGHT B. GERVAIS AND JOHN C. XVILMOT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO VARIETY FIRE DOOR COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AICORPORATION OFV ILLINOIS.

INTERLOCK FOR ELEVATOR DOORS AND TI-IE LIKE.

Application ledfJune 7, 1924. Serial No. 718,448.

.To (all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we. VAINWRIGHT B. Giani/*nis and JOHN C. VILMc'r, citizens ot' the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State oflllinois, have invented a certain new` and useful Improvement in Interlocks for Elevator Doors and the like, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact descript-ion, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to interlocls for elevator doors and the like, more particularly to interlocls for preventing starting ot the elevator car from al floor with the door or doors leading thereto open, and its objects are the provision of a generally improved device in which the uncertainty of opera-tion of the means for .rendering the elevator drive means ineffective is avoided and in which positive actuation of said means is secured with the releasing movement of the latch, also a device that is simple and may be economically produced.

lVliile our invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with that class of elevators which are operated by an electric motor and with that class of doors or closures which include vertically mov* able sections, it is to be understoodthat the, invention is not limited to use with a particular type of elevator, elevator operating means or closure, but may be employed wherever found adaptable.

rlhe invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. l is a fragmentary elevation of a door showing an embodiment of the invention in connection therewith;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation along the door guide showing the cover of the circuit interrupter removed and the interlocking connection between the interrupter and the door latch;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary horizontalrsection through the door' guide and adjacent j amb;

Fig. et is a kfragmentary elevation of a door showing the invention` in connection with a latchof the type which latches the door at the center or intermediate the vertical guides; and l j Fig. 5 is a fragment;ry detail view partiaily .in section of thenterlock plunger and swinging arm showing one form of mechanical connection therebetween.

In the embodiment sho-wn in Figs. l, 2 and 3, the elevator 5 operates vertically in the shaft 6, and 7 designates the wall between said shaft and the respective iioors, for example, said wall 7 having an opening or doorway 8 along the jambs or sides of which are secured the vertical guides 9. The doorshown comprises an upper section 10 and a lower section 1l, the lower and upper edges l2 and 13, respectively, of which meet across the doorway when the door is closed, and said sections l0 and 11 move vertically away from eachother in opening, as well understood in the art. l

The latch mechanism comprises a latch plate or disc 20 pivoted centrally at 2l to the lower door section 1l just below the frame along the upper edge thereof. Secured to the disc 2O and projecting radially therefrom is a handle 22 by means of which the disc 20 may be turned or rotated about its pivot 21. .Pivoted to the disc or plate 20 at 23 and 24, respectively, are two arms or latch bars 25 and 26. The latch bars 25 and 26 extend horizontally toward opposite sides of the door and their free ends are adapted to project through the frames along the opposite sides ofthe door to ovcrlie stops 28 secured to the vertical guide members 9. A spring 30 normally maintains the handle 22 in substantially the position shown, and the latch bars 25 and 26 in their projected position from the opposite sides of the lower door section ll.

VVhenthe panels 10 and l1 are brought together' the arms or latch bars 25 and 26 are sprung into place over the stops 28, thereby locking the door closed. Opening of the door necessitates withdrawal of the latch bars 25 and 26, and this is accomplished by rotating the disc 2O by means of the handle 22 in a` clockwise direction (Fig. l), the pivoting 23 and 24 ofthe latch bars to the plate 2O being olf center ofr eccentrically disposed with respect to the pivot 2l, The latch as thus described is a typical` side locking latch and we' lay no claim here broadly to such a latch. Its details may' be varied to suit the' requirements of dilferent installatioi'is. j

The elevator car 5 .is driven or'op'er'ated,

'presen-t instance, by an electric motor shown diagrammatically at in Fig. 2. The particular disposition of this motor and the driving connections between it and the elevator car form no part ot the present Vinvention and they have, therefore, been bar 26. The conductors 36 may be enclosed-` in a conduit 38 extending up and secured to the bottom of box 87. lfilithin the box 37 the ends of the conductors, from which the insulation is removed, have electrical connection With contacts 40 and 4l mounted upon an insulating block142.

A lridging cont-act-lipivoted at 44 kto a projection on the lower end of an arm 44 is adapted :tor bridging contact with contacts 40 and 4l to close the motor circuit and for movement out of engagement with said contacts to open the motor circuit. The arm or lever 44 is pivcted Within the box 3T at 45. Mounted for reciprocation in the outstanding flange of the guide 9 and in the adjacent Wall of the box 3? is a plunger 48. A pin or screw 49 threaded at 50 into the inner en-d ot' plunger 48 projectsthrough an elongated slot 5l in the upper end of arm 44 and is provided at its outer end With a head or Cotter pin 52 whereby the plunger 48 and arm 44 are mechanically connected, so that upon movement of the plunger in either direction the arm 44 will bo swung about its pivot thereby.

The coiled spring 55 interposed between a lateral Wall Aor 4web on arm 44 and the adjacent Wall of box 37, normally tends to turn the arm 44 in a couiiterclockwise direction about its pivot 45. A Weight or arm 56 pivoted at 57 is Weighted above and oil center to the left (Fig. 2) with respect its pivot 57, and this arm has a .nose 58 which engages the adjacent edge of arm 44 and by gravitation acts cumulatively with spring 55 to swing arm 44 about its pivot 45. The box 87 may be provided with a suitable cover 60.

vThe outer end of reciprocable plunger 48 has a flange or head 62 Which engages in a notch G3 in the upper edge of the adjacent end of latch bar 2G. Notch 68 terminates in a shoulder 64 at one end which cooperates With the head 62 in the late-hing movement of the latch bar, and a lug G5 at the opposite end of the notch engages or cooperates with the head G2 in the releasing movement of the latch bar. An interlocking engagement is thereby eti'ected between the plunger 48 and the'adjacent end of the latch bar 26, so that the plunger is actuated by the latch bar in its movement in each direction. Y

From the foregoing, it will noiv be apparent that when the appareil@ lever Pericle of the door are brought together the latch bars spring into place over the stops 28 and, at the same time, the engagement ot' shoulder G4 With head G2 positively forces the plunger 48 outwardly and thereby the arm 44 in a clockwise direction about its pivot against the action of spring 55 land Weighted arm 56, and closing the motor circuit by engagement by b 'idging contact 425 with contacts 4G and 4l. The door having been completely closed and latched, the motor circuit is completed so that the elevator car may be started up and moved from the floorv With Which the opening 8 communi- Cates. In opening the door, and in the inward releasinginovenient of the latch bar 253, the lug 65 engages thehead 62 and thereby positively moves the plunger 48 outwardly and swings the arm 44 in a counterclockivise direct-ion through the mechanical connections 49 and 52, opening the motor .ircuit at 43-40, 4l, so that the elevator car cannot again be started until the latchis set.

rllhe dilhculties encountered, Whore an arm such as the arm 44 is merely released by the releasing movement of the latch and a spring is relied on to open the inc-torcircuit are avoided. Ir" the spring sticks or the parts become tight because of infrequent use, the latch bar Will either positively open the motor circuit in spite of any sticking or tightness, or it will be impossible to unlatch the doo-r. It the door cannot be unlatched or opened, a closed motor circuit is immaterial.

lVhile We prefer an interlocking connection between the plunger 48 and the latch bar, and also a mechanical connection betu'een the arm 44 and the plunger, it Will be apparent kthat the advantages ot the invention may be partially secured by employingthe interlocking connection between the plunger and latch bar Without a mechanical connection betiveen the plunger and arm 44. ln such case, the releasing movement of the latch bar would positively assure movement of the plunger which is the part which is subjected to the Weather, and the spring and Weighted arm, all ot which are enclosed Within the box 87, could be relied onv for swinging the arm 44 tofopen the motor circuit. The gravitation of the arm 56 against the arm 44, in a direction to open the motor circuit would tend to assure positive swinging of the arm 44 in the direction of its opening movement in spiteof sticking oi" said arm or failure ot spring 55.

ln Fig. 4 ive have shown the invention in connection with a latch of the typical center lat-ch type, in this case, the latch arm is pivoted at 72 to a bracket 73 mounted upon the upper door panel 74 centrally between the Opposite title? thereof sid @einem @te lower edge of said panel. The, latch bar has a handle and its depending arm extends down through the trame 76 along the bottom ot upper panel 74 and through the trame 77 along the top et lower panel 78. The lower end of this depending arm has a catch 80 which engages under the frame 77 of lower panel 78 and thereby locks the npper and lower panels together in closed position. The openings 8l are elongated to permit swinging of the depending arm et the latch bar and to permit separation of the upper and door panels when said bar is in the position shown in dotted lines.

rlhe circuit interruptor 82 is mounted as before upon the guide 9 adjacent the meeting edges of the upper and lower door section, and its reciprocable plunger 83 has a head 8st which engages in a notch 85 in the outer end of an interruptor operating bar 86 which is pivoted at its opposite end at 87 to the latch bar 70. As before, an interlocking engagement between the plunger 83 and bar 86 is thereby secured, so that the plunger is positively actuated in the releasing as well as in the setting or latching movement o'tl the latch bar 70. The slots 85 and 63 are in each case preferably of sutticient length to provide a slight play or clearance between their opposite ends and the head of the plunger, permitting initial movement ot the bar wit-hout actuating the plunger and complete unlatching and latchmg movement o'l` the bar without moving the plunger the entire latching and unlatching distance.

We do not intend to be limited to the precise details shown and described.

We claim :M

l. ln combination, a movable carrier, a drive motor therefor, a closure, a latch for said closure, a circuit interrupting device tor the motor, said device having a reciprocable plunger interlocked with said latch, a pivote/d circuit closing and opening arm mechanically connected with said plunger for actuation therewith, and a weighted arm pivoted adjacent said tirst arm and acting upon `it in the direction of its movement to circuit opening position.

2. A circuit interruptor having a reciprocating plunger, a pair oit contacts, a centrally pivoted arm having one of its ends mechanically connected to said plunger and a bric ging contact fastened thereto at the opposite end, and a weighted arm pivoted adjacent said first arm and acting upon it in conjunction with said plunger for swinging said bridging contact into and out of contact with said pair et contacts.

3. ln combination, a casing, an arm pivoted to a wall of said casing, a pair ot contacts within said casing, a bridging contact for said pair o't contacts connected to one end of said arm, and resilient means disposed between one wall of said casing and said arm tor normally urging said bridging contact away from said pair of contacts.

il. In combination, a casing, an arm pivoted to one wall ci said casing, a pair o't contacts within said casing, a bridging contact tor said pair oit contacts connected to one end of said arm, resilient means disposed between onewall et said casing anc said arm for normally urging said bridging contact away from said pair oit contacts, and means adapted to bear against the opposite end of said arm for aiding said resilient means in normally urging said bridging contact away from said pairot contacts.

5. In combination, a casing, an arm pivoted within said casing, a pair of contacts within said casing, a bridging contact for said pair o't contacts connected vto one end ot said arm, means adjacent each end of said arm for normally urging said bridging contact away from said pair ot' contacts, and manually operative means mechanically connected to one end of said arm for positively moving said bridging contact into or out of engagement with said pair of contacts.

6. In combination, a movable carrier, a drive motor therefor, a closure, a latch for said closure, a circuit breaking device 'for said motor, said device having a reciprocable plunger interlocked with said latch, a pivotaily mounted arm mechanically connected to said plunger at one end, a pair of contacts, and a bridging Contact for said pair of contacts connected to said arm, the movement ot' said arm about its pivotal mounting serving to positively move said bridging contact into or out of engagement with said pair oit' contacts.

ln witness whereof, we hereunto subscribe our names this 4th day ot' June, 199A.

VANWTRIGHT B. GERVAIS. JHN C. lVlLMG'l. 

